NEWSOK! Exclusive: Kelly Rowland Talks Her New Album, If A Destiny's Child Reunion Is Really Happening And Why Every Mom Has The Right To Feel 'Fly'
June 22 2016, Updated 9:22 p.m. ET
As she prepared to take on the task of dressing her son Titan Jewell for his first Halloween, new mommy Kelly Rowland giddily admitted she had officially conceded to the overwhelming parental right of passage.
"I keep going into all these different places that have Halloween costumes for babies. But I swear they never have it in his size, which is one of the reasons that I ended up with a skunk. It's so cute," she said. "I was thinking about the whole Disney theme, and I'm going to make sure the hubby kind of gets into it too!"
But in the midst of her own search for Titan's perfect Halloween look, Rowland and her husband, Chris Witherspoon, also accepted the responsibility of helping collect and pass out over 15,000 Halloween costumes in Newark, New Jersey, as part of their collaboration with M&M's.
Over the past year, Rowland has experienced several major life events, including the birth of her son and the passing of her mother, Doris Rowland Garrison. And while speaking with OKMagazine.com ahead of the two-day Halloween celebration with M&M’s, she revealed that those defining moments are now fueling a new music project and her dedication to finding ways to help others in need, such as through the costume drive.
“I personally love Halloween. I know for me, it's kind of hard for me to get everything ready and to find something to do as a family sometimes with my schedule,” Rowland said. She added that she decided to year team up with M&M's this year "to help make Halloween easier and more fun for the entire city of Newark."
During her chat with OKMagazine.com, Rowland got candid about what she's learned about herself one year into motherhood. She gave a brief glimpse into the woman and artist she is evolving into and exactly why she now has more to say than ever.
OKMagazine.com: What are you looking forward to most about the Halloween costume drive?
Kelly Rowland: Laughter. Fun. Just allowing kids to be kids and just having a good time. That's what it's all about. That's how I remember my Halloween. My best Halloween memories, they make me happy.
OKMagazine.com: You and your girls kind of slayed Halloween at Ciara's surprise birthday party. Do you have any fun memories from the night.
Rowland: There were so many memories. I think we danced for so long. We were celebrating Ciara's 30th and that's the best time to have a party. We had a really good time, and she definitely deserved it. And I'm glad she's got a nice little Batman on the side.
OKMagazine.com: Yeah, Ciara and Russell Wilson definitely shut it down with their costumes.
Rowland: They shut that all the way down!
OKMagazine.com: Now you recently dropped a new song “Dumb.” Where are with your music and new album?
I'm still recording. But it was so funny. A friend of mine called and was like, “Yo, man. It's been almost two years, and you've got to give us something.” I was like let me just throw something out and basically just let everybody know I'm definitely in the works. I'm definitely recording. “Dumb” is literally just a little taste.
OKMagazine.com: Do you have any idea of what sound you want to go for with the next project?
Rowland: I have the sound. I'm still narrowing everything down. It is sounding really amazing, but I have some work to do. I just want it to be perfect.
It's after my son. I want it to be real and authentic and talk about everything that's happened. I've had a lot happen in the past year. The birth of my son and I also lost my mother and had to learn so many things about mommyhood, myself and having a good time and still being a hot mama. Like look at the women that were at Ciara's party. I know too many hot mamas! So I just wanted to make sure that comes across in the records too. Some people feel like once you're a mom it's just kind of got this thing on it. I'm like you're still supposed to be fly!
OKMagazine.com: Are there any songs that Titan is jamming to right now.
Rowland: His favorite song right now is “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star!” Sometimes we jazz that up. I remember posting something up with me and Michelle Williams just making up songs with Titan's name. We do that stuff all the time. Music is very much a part of his life.
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
OKMagazine.com: Now you also joined the cast of Empire for the show's second season, playing Lucious Lyons' mother, Leah. Do you have any other acting projects in the works?
Rowland: I'm working on it, but the album is my main focus right now. It's trying to balance everything out, with time for myself, time for my husband and time for my son.
OKMagazine.com: As a mom yourself, how did you approach the role of, Leah, and having to play a mother who attempts to care for and nurture her child while battling mental health issues?
Rowland: It's having so much sympathy for my character, Leah. She definitely wants to be a great mother. Her mental illness sometimes causes her to definitely have these challenges with herself and her son. But the core of who she is is love. The core of her intention is to love her son, and sometimes the illness causes for that to be her greatest challenge. I just wanted that to come across on TV, and I'm happy that it has.
There have recently been renewed rumors of a Destiny's Child reunion, with Mathew Knowles recently hinting that a comeback with you ladies may be in the works. Do you, Beyoncé and Michelle ever discuss the idea or what you all would like your sound to be if you ever work on a new project together?
Rowland: Myself, Michelle Williams and Beyoncé have not had that discussion. Everybody is working on their own projects and their own things. And we have been completely supporting each other. But it hasn't come up in conversation. We've been excited to talk about each other's projects and helping each other through those. That's really it.
OKMagazine.com: Matthew also talked about his plans for a biopic on the group. Do you know anything about that project?
Rowland: I don't know about that situation either.
OKMagazine.com: What kinds of plans do you have for the coming holidays? Are you going to honor your late mother in a special way?
Rowland: Of course I am. I 'm going to try to make my mother's cornbread. But nobody can make it like my mom. That will probably be a very interesting day. But we're going to celebrate her life. I'll try to make the cornbread. I'll send an Instagram or tweet out to say that I tried.
OKMagazine.com: With all the huge moments you've experienced in your life over the past few years -- like your marriage, the birth of you son and the passing of your mother -- what is something that you have learned about Kelly?
Rowland: I have a lot of patience. I didn't know that I had it because my patience was like zero to zero. No patience at all. All of this has taught me so much patience and to also really cherish people around you. Always keep lines of communication open with those that you love.
OKMagazine.com: And to wrap, do you have a favorite type of M&M's?
Rowland: Yes! My favorite is actually peanut. That yellow bag makes me so happy.
